BKYD Life

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Christmas Tradition

Christmas Traditions

When my husband and I were first dating, my grandmother asked us to take her on a drive around town in mid-December. The Arizona Republic, our local newspaper, had an article with a map attached that indicated homes and neighborhoods with Christmas light displays.

We had such a great time that a family tradition was born. For as long as we could, we included my grandmother. And to this day, we can’t help but think of her as we drive around town and look at the beautiful displays so many people put their heart and souls into creating.

Sometimes we have a plan, sometimes we just drive to the streets we know will be all lit up. We have shared this tradition with our children, friends and other family members.

We have found that when we go in the middle of the week, there is less traffic. However, when we go on weekend nights, the homeowners are often out in their yards wishing passerby’s a Merry Christmas. Sometimes they collect for a canned food drive or a toy drive. We have seen some people sharing hot cocoa and some give out candy canes.

Some streets have every house decorated. Sometimes it’s just one or two houses. We just love looking at the lights, the creativity, the effort of each and every person who chose to decorate their front yard. It is like a gift to us. They are spreading cheer from their front yard to our car.

Does your newspaper list homes and neighborhoods worth driving to for some Christmas cheer? If you are in the Pheonix metro area, here is the link for this years listing and map.

Grab a thermal cup of your favorite warm beverage (if your the driver, make it non-alcoholic!) and maybe I’ll see you somewhere on the streets of Phoenix enjoying the lights!

Not in Phoenix ~ search for light displays in your town. And when you find a listing (or maybe you create your own to share with others) let us know and we will post them on our social media channels.

Christmas Photos

Every year we take a family photo to use on our Christmas card. I love this tradition. This photo was from a few years ago. We took it over Thanksgiving weekend when my son and daughter-in-law were in town. We went to one of the Mountain Preserve trail heads here in Phoenix, AZ. We put the camera on a tripod and used the timer option on the camera. It took several attempts, but we didn’t mind. We had fun making this memory.

Some years we have had to take separate photos, some years we used photos taken over the summer. When you live in different states, taking a family photo can be difficult and you have to plan ahead or get creative to make the Christmas card photo a possibility.

This year, with the need to social distance, a family photo can be difficult. Going to a location might not be an option. Your favorite photographer might not be available. Here are a few tips to help you get a good shot right in your backyard.

Start by finding a great back drop.

Backdrop

This bush, in my backyard, would be a great option for a backdrop. The green and yellow adds nice color. The leaves add texture.

Next you just need to choose colors for everyone to wear that compliment each other and don’t compete for attention from the card recipient. Don’t over think this. Since my family is all adults, I usually tell them 2 colors to work within. I have even said, “dark jeans, a top/shirt you feel fabulous in” because when you feel good, you look good. That is the idea that drove the first photo from this post. Sometimes just have a good, simple idea helps a photo along!

Next you may think, how am I going to take the photo? Always remember that the best camera you have is the one in your hand ~ do you have a smart phone? Then use that camera. Have a DSLR? Then use that camera.

Tripod with Smart Phone

Here you can see, I put my smart phone in the holder of my ring light. Not only will it hold the phone at the right height, it’s adjustable, but you can use the light too! The ring light works better than a flash to enhance the lighting, even outdoors.

Next, use the self-timer on your phone and take as many photos as needed to get a good one. Don’t be afraid of showing some personality. Two things to keep in mind ~ kids are only little once and their is no such thing as perfect.

Note *I am not a professional photographer, I am only encouraging you to take that family holiday photo for your own memories. You can share on social media or a holiday card, that is up to you. But I will say that since my children are all grown up, you can never have too many photos of your family when they are small!

Don’t know how to use the timer on your phone or camera, you can find those answers on the internet. With so many different phone/camera types there is no way to address that here.

So, grab a camera. Find a cute backdrop in your backyard. Through on something that makes you feel great. Get to taking a holiday photo. You will be glad you did! Tradition doesn’t have to disappear with a pandemic! You just have to be creative.